January 10, 2013 – Page 2 – NBA Blog

Supporting cast steps up in Celtics win over Suns

The ”Big Three” leading Boston to its latest win was an unlikely bunch.

Jeff Green, Jason Terry and rookie Jared Sullinger carried the Celtics through a game of streaks, each outscoring their starting teammates as Boston recovered from a dreadful third quarter and held off the slumping Phoenix Suns 87-79 on Wednesday night.

Green had 14 points, Terry scored 13 and Sullinger finished with 12 points and pulled down a career-best 16 rebounds as Boston’s reserves outscored their Phoenix counterparts 47-16.

”They won the game for us basically. The bench played well. The starters didn’t play good at all tonight,” said Rajon Rondo, who had eight points and eight assists.

It was an emotional game for Green, who was playing exactly one year after having surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm.

”I can’t put it into words. I mean, it’s a wonderful day,” said Green, who missed all of last season with the heart condition. ”I reflect a lot on what I’ve been through and it’s just a blessing and I’m glad I’m here.”

Kevin Garnett was the only Boston starter to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds, and Paul Pierce had seven points and seven rebounds…

Marcin Gortat had 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Jared Dudley scored 14 while pulling down 10 boards for the Suns, who lost their fourth straight and fell to 2-16 on the road. Luis Scola scored 16 and Goran Dragic finished with 10 points for Phoenix, which gave the Celtics a scare in the third quarter with a 17-0 run…

Boston coach Doc Rivers was called for a technical late in the third period, then Rondo and Phoenix’s P.J. Tucker drew dual technicals early in the fourth.

— Reported by Doug Alden of the Associated Press

Kyrie Irving scores 33, Cavs beat Hawks

Kyrie Irving gave the Cleveland Cavaliers some much-needed good news Wednesday night.

Irving scored 18 of his 33 points in the third quarter and the injury-riddled Cavaliers beat the Atlanta Hawks 99-83 – Cleveland’s largest margin of victory this season.

Irving’s big night came at a perfect time for his team, which hasn’t had much to feel good about lately. The Cavaliers lost five of six overall and six straight at home going into the game, but that seemed minor compared to the news that came earlier in the day.

Center Anderson Varejao will have surgery Thursday to repair a muscle that split near his right knee. He will miss six to eight weeks. Varejao was having an All-Star caliber season, averaging 14.1 points and an NBA-leading 14.4 rebounds. Irving admitted the Cavaliers, who had only 10 available players, were thinking about their sidelined teammate throughout the night…

Josh Smith scored 17 points to lead Atlanta, which has lost a season-worst four straight. Hawks coach Larry Drew, who called his team ”soft” following Tuesday night’s loss to Minnesota, watched them get completely outplayed after tying the game early in the third. His mood wasn’t any better following the latest lackluster effort…

Alonzo Gee scored 15 points for Cleveland, while Tristan Thompson added 11 points and 14 rebounds. Rookie Tyler Zeller, who moved into the starting lineup after Varejao was injured Dec. 18, scored 11 points and had a career-high 12 rebounds.

Jeff Teague added 15 points for Atlanta and Horford scored 14…

C.J. Miles (back spasms), Daniel Gibson (concussion) and Luke Walton (personal matter) also missed the game for Cleveland.

— Reported by Steve Herrick of the Associated Press

Al Jefferson scores 26 in Jazz win over Bobcats

Utah coach Tyrone Corbin preached to his team before the game not to take the Charlotte Bobcats for granted.

Apparently his team listened.

Al Jefferson had 26 points and eight rebounds, and the Jazz posted a wire-to-wire 112-102 victory Wednesday night over the Bobcats for their fourth win in five games.

Jefferson was 11 of 15 from the field and the Bobcats simply had no answer for the 6-foot-10 center in the paint.

Paul Millsap chipped in with 19 points and Gordon Hayward was 4 of 5 from 3-point range for 14 points as the Jazz made light work of the Bobcats’ zone defense, shooting 54 percent from the field.

”They tried to double-team me and Paul got off,” Jefferson said. ”They start worrying about Paul, I got off. They start worrying about both of us, Gordon and (DeMarre Carroll) and all those guys start hitting big shots. It just all worked out.” …

Ben Gordon led six Bobcats in double figures, scoring 20 points. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 15 points and eight rebounds, while Gerald Henderson, Ramon Sessions and Kemba Walker each had 14 points for the Bobcats (9-25)…

The Bobcats continue to be without center Byron Mullens, who remains out with an ankle injury.

— Reported by Steve Reed of the Associated Press

Amir Johnson leads Raptors past slumping 76ers

After finishing off a long stretch of games with another deflating defeat, the Philadelphia 76ers are finally getting a chance to rest.

Jrue Holiday, for one, couldn’t be more excited.

Amir Johnson had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Jose Calderon added 14 points and 11 assists, and the Toronto Raptors never trailed in a 90-72 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday night, handing the slumping 76ers their fifth straight loss.

Holiday and Thaddeus Young each scored 16 points and Evan Turner had 10 as the Sixers set a season low in points and lost for the 13th time in 16 games. Philadelphia has played 12 of its past 16 on the road, winning just twice…

Starting for the first time since Nov. 7, Toronto’s Landry Fields set season highs with 10 points and 11 rebounds…

DeMar DeRozan scored 19 points and Ed Davis had 17 for the Raptors, who had lost six of their previous seven meetings with Philadelphia, including three straight…

Philadelphia’s Jason Richardson did not play because of a sore wrist. Collins said he gave Richardson, who has missed time with back and ankle injuries this season, ”a San Antonio Spur day.”

— Reported by Ian Harrison of the Associated Press